Vacuum cleaner nozzle with detachable brush carrying unit



Filed'oct. 29, 1949 H. M FARLAND 2,668,979 VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLE WITH DETACHABLE BRUSH CARRYING UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Charles H. MacFarZ BY 50W 1 ATTORNEYS Feb. 16, 1954 c H. MaCFARLAND 2,668,979

VACUUM CLEANER NOZZLE WITH DETACHABLE BRUSH CARRYING UNIT Filed Oct. 29, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F1 13 MENTOR Charles H. MacF BY 61W $24;-

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 16, 1954 VAQUUMYCBEANER NOZZLE WITH DE TACH- ABEEBRUSH CARRYING UNIT Ghanle EHlMaQFaflmid; Cleveland; Ohio, assignor to 'Theg Sctt..-&.- Fetzer Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio,

Application qctobenzil, 1949; Serial No. 1724;291

'I hisinvention relates: to. a. combined; suction nozzle and brush for vacuum; cleaners. and-moreparticularly to a nozzle havinga detachableicarlpet engaging shoe upon. which a rotary. brush ismounted.

The invention has for anobject. to p lovidea a.

brush carrying carpet engagingshoe that: has.

detachable connection to.v the'nozzle body: and: that providesa mounting; forthe brush by means of which the; brush maybe-adjusted with respect:

to the shoe whiletheshoe and-brush are: detached from the nozzle-whenever sucha adjustment-is desirable to. compensate for: wear or; to: obtain. the proper projection on thebristles; past.- thegfaoe: Qf the-shoe.

--A further objector theinvention is to utilize the springarms which frictionallyz engagethe end walls: of the. nozzle; to.- hold. the, shoe in place brush mounting members: between: which the brush may bedetachably clamped in. various: positions. of vertical adjustment.

. A. further object of; the invention. is; to provide simple and: conveniently operable. means: for: disengaging the brush driving'belt': from thetan Fig. 8 is a fra mentary v ew wns theibe tr three-den arm. po it o ed, over; the. an shaft? .fi thesbeiein positio to: be en a ed w th; he; ha t; upon etract onof the h ea-d arm;

Fi 9 is' a ro t el v tion, a m d fied t ne; of. shee and? brush uni Eia. 1.0. is; a fra men ary n tudina te itiea i section Showing. one-end of the ho brush on; an; nlar ed scale;

shaft to permit; removal of the; shoe; and brush.

and to reengage the. belt with the fan shaft afterthe shoe and; brushhavei been attachedto the nozzle.

With the above. and" other objects:in;view ,,;th e

inventionmay be said to comprise the combined suction nozzle and brush as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and hereinaiter: de scribed, together with suchvariations and mQd' -L" fications-thereof as will be: apparent: to one sk lled.

in the art to which the invention pertains.

Reference should berhad; to. the accomp nying drawings. forming a. part of: thisszSDfiGifiQittion inwhich:

Figure 1. isa front. elevation of a 0.oI,-til;;.i-nee!v sulk ti'on nozzle and; brush embodyingthe invent on;

one: end: portion of the. nozzle bodyibeing' broken away and shown in section;

*Fig'. 2. is a. top; plan viewwof the combined brush and shoe;

Fig. 3 is a "front: elevationof' the carpet en, gaging shoe, and rotary brush detached from the nozzle body;

- Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical. section through an end of the'shoe. takenon the line. indicated at in, Fig.5?

Fi 1 s v ca s c on ake n indicated; at; ll-ll Fig. 10;

F a. 12: s a-plan. v w of; h rush..- atta n n plate;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary plan, view; of one end of a brush sup ortin sho ha n nte ral brash;

inlet and driven from the; end 0% the tang share, which: projects into; the; nozzle.

As here ho t e no z ody I which-is. o the type adapted to. be de e ha lr secured; to. the inlet of the cleaner fancasing, has a. lower po tion rmed: to p o i e an n ated eeen; bottom b u hamber 2 wh c as; trentam rear-walls 3 and land end Walls; 5 the;;1gwer edges of which form the margins; of -the open; bottom of the. brush chamber. A carpet, engag ing sheet. is; mounted on the lower end: ot the: o zle a d this. Shoe. is rovided; wi h a mar nal; upwardly facing channel 7 that receives the lower edges of-the Walls 3, 4' and 5, the; outer flanset o the m na nn l en ae n the, outer faces of the walls 3, 4 and'5. At the ends; of. the sho the n flanges o the mar inal; channel '7 have xtensions; t0 Whi t ev are at tech d p ne m l ms ite e erperetions o he arms. l are s s ant ally u ri ht. and the uppe e d. o o l there f: are b w d outwardly for i io al en gement w h the interioref the end wa s 5 of. he brush. eta.inte

z te det h y re h ho o he body- Th sp ms: it also: se t support; the ends of a brush cylinder [2 so, that tl e brushcylinderi e o le Wi h. the .fimq'fimm the nozzle body- The ylinde t has. brist es: 13: dispos d nrheli lro en lon t dina ly reeed portions of; he cyli der. The bristle or ion it. are spaced apart to provide a centralpulley portion M on the cylinder to receive a driving belt I5 that is adapted to engage an end. pore.- tion of a fan shaft I6 and to provide a driving; onnection he shaft tethe rash exiinden immed ately beneath the ul er-no mal! of the brush cylinder the shoe 6 has a cross bar I! extending between the front and rear channels of the shoe, the bar I! being in the form of an upwardly facing channel of a width to receive the belt I5 so that when the belt is detached from the fan shaft I6 it will drop into the channel of the bar I! and. be supported in upright position by the bar. The helically disposed bristles I3 preferably have gaps between the central pulley portion I4 and the ends of the cylinder I2 which provide spaces for bars I8 connecting the front and rear channels of the shoe. The bottom faces of the bars I! and I8 are flush with the bottom faces of the marginal channel I of the shoe, providing additional support for the nozzle on a carpet and preventing the carpet from being drawn by suction into the nozzle.

The brush cylinder I 2 is connected to the arms III of the carpet engaging shoe through attaching plates I9 that are mounted on the ends of the cylinder I2 to turn about the axis of the cylinder. The shoe and brush are attachable as a unit to the vacuum cleaner nozzle and the brush is mounted for vertical adjustment on the upright arms III of the shoe. The adjustment is preferably effected by means of selectively engageable projections and socket connections between the arms III and attaching plates I9. As illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, each of the plates I9 may be provided with an elongated raised portion 20, the center line of which extends radially. The raised portion 20 is provided with radially spaced transversely elongated sockets in the form of grooves 2| each of which is adapted to receive a transversely elongated projection 22 on the inner face of the arm III. The sockets 2! and projections 22 extend across the vertical center line of the arm I0, and the elongated projections 22 engaging in the sockets 2I serve to hold the attaching plates against turning movements. The sockets 2| and projections 22 are preferably V-shaped, the sockets 2I being arranged with their apices in radial alinement and the projection 22 of each arm I being disposed with its apex at the center of the arm.

When the shoe 6 is detached from the nozzle body the arms III can be spread apart to disengage the projections 22 from the sockets 2 I, and the cylinder I2 can be adjusted to the desired vertical position on the arms I6. When the shoe 6 is secured to the nozzle body the arms I0 are pressed tightly against the attaching plates I9 to securely lock the plates in adjusted position and the attaching plates serve to rotatably support the cylinder I2. The cylinder I2 may be journaled to the attaching plates I9 in any suitable manner. As herein shown the attaching plates I9 are shown attached to reduced ends 23 of a spindle 24, the cylinder I2 being provided with a cup-shaped recess 25 at each end into which the reduced extensions 23 project. The cylinder I2 is mounted on ball bearings 26 mounted in the recesses 25 and positioned on the reduced portions 23 of the spindle.

Each attaching plate I9 has a hub portion 21 projecting into the recess 26 and this hub portion may be provided with a sealing ring 28 to retain oil in the bearing and to prevent entry of dust to the bearing. The attaching plates I9 may be provided with guard flanges 29 that closely overlie the ends of the cylinder I2 to prevent the entry of threads and lint to the end bearings.

In order to remove the shoe and brush from the nozzle it is necessary to free the brush driv ing belt I from the fan shaft- I6 and in reassembling it is necessary to reengage the belt with the fan shaft. In order to facilitate the assembling and disassembling, a belt shifting and supporting device of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,538,464, granted January 16, 1951 is employed in combination with means carried by the shoe 6 for supporting the belt in an upright position upon assembly of the belt, brush and shoe with the nozzle where it can be engaged by the belt shifting device and moved to a position to receive the fan shaft.

The belt placing device comprises a plate 36 rotatably mounted in an Opening in the front wall of the nozzle of the body I. The plate 30 is provided with peripheral shoulders 3| that engage with a stop pin 32 to limit the turning movement of the plate, and the plate is provided with an outwardly projecting handle 33 by means of which it may be turned.

Projecting from the inner side of the plate 36 into the nozzle body I is a belt engaging arm 34 that is provided with a front inner portion 35 which closely overlies the shaft I6 when the arm 34 is in its uppermost position, and a rear outer portion 36 that extends laterally and radially outwardly with respect to the inner portion and which tapers toward its outer end. The arm 34 at one limit of movement has its inner portion 35 positioned to closely overlie the shaft I6, and at its opposite limit of movement is positioned below the shaft I6 and laterally clear of the belt I5. The outer belt engaging face of the arm 34 is convex and the inner face is concave, the concave face of the inner portion of the arm lying closely adjacent the top of the shaft I6 when the arm is moved to its uppermost position.

When the cylinder I2 is mounted on the shoe 6 for insertion into the brush chamber 2 of the nozzle, the belt I5 is supported in the channel I! as shown in Fig. 3 and projects upwardly above the top of the cylinder I2. After the brush is inserted into the brush chamber the upper portion of the belt I5 is alongside the pointed end 36 of the arm 34 so that when the plate 36 is turned the pointed end 36 of the arm will enter the belt I5 and engage the interior thereof. As the arm 34 swings to its uppermost position the tension of the belt shifts the belt inwardly to the inner portion 35 of the arm where it is in position to receive the fan shaft I6 when the nozzle is attached to the fan casing. To engage the belt with the shaft I6, the plate 30 is turned in the opposite direction to move the arm 34 laterally out of engagementwith the belt and permit the belt to engage with the fan shaft I6, and when the plate 30 is moved to its opposite limit of movement the arm is positioned entirely clear of the belt.

In Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 an alternative adjustable brush mounting is shown. In this modification the shoe and brush unit is mounted in the vacuum cleaner nozzle in the same manner as in the modification first described, the shoe 6a, arms IIla, brush cylinder I2a, belt I5a and attaching plates I9a corresponding to the shoe 6, arms I6, cylinder I2, belt I5 and plates IS in the modification first described.

Each arm Illa may be provided with a base flange 40 as shown in Fig. 10 and this flange may be secured by suitable means such as welding to the bottom of the marginal channel of the shoe. The arms Ilia are each provided with a pair of vertically alined openings 41 and'42which provide sockets utoreceive correspondingly spaced pairs of projections 43 and 44 or- 45 and 46 .on

the attaching plate 19a which are of a size to fit in the sockets 4| and 42. The projections of each pair 43 and 44 and 45 and 4B are diametrically alined and each of the four projections 43, 44, 45 and 46 is at a different distance from the axis of the brush. Each arm l 00. has two horizontally alined openings 4! and 48 that are of considerably larger diameter than the sockets 4| and 42 to accommodate either pair of projections 43 and 44 or 45 and 46 when the other pair is engaged in the sockets 4| and 42. Each pair of projections provides two positions of vertical adjustment for the brush. For two adjustments a single pair of projections could be used and the openings 47 and 48 would be unnecessary.

The brush supporting arm may be formed integrally with the carpet engaging shoe if desired. The shoe is preferably formed from a sheet metal blank from which portions are cut away to form the openings through which the brush bristles project and as shown in Figs. 13 and 15, a portion of the sheet metal blank cut as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 13 may be struck up from the body of the blank to form integral brush supporting arms Iflb.

By mounting the brush cylinder adjustably on the bracket engaging shoe the brush may be accurately positioned with respect to the carpet engaging shoe, and after the shoe is attached to the nozzle body the brush is positively held in its adjusted position with respect to the shoe. By means of the manually operable belt threader, the belt Hi can be quickly and easily attached to or detached from the fan shaft, the brush driving beltcooperating with the spring arms [0 to hold the shoe tightly against the bottom of the nozzle body.

It is to be understood that in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, variations and modifications of the specific devices herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A combined suction nozzle and brush for vacuum cleaners comprising a nozzle body having an upper fan shaft receiving portion and a lower portion formed to provide an open bottom brush chamber, a carpet-engaging shoe detachably secured to the lower portion of said nozzle body, a rotatable brush cylinder in said chamber, said cylinder being mounted on said shoe and being removable with the shoe, said cylinder having a central belt receiving portion, an endless belt extending around said cylinder, a manually operable belt shifting and supporting member mounted on the nozzle body and having a belt engaging arm within said body and above said brush cylinder that is movable from a lower disengaged position below the fan shaft and laterally clear of the belt into engagement with the interior of the belt and to an uppermost position overlying the fan shaft, and a belt supporting means carried by the shoe and positioned immediately beneath the belt receiving portion of said cylinder, said means supporting the belt when disengaged from the fan shaft in an upright position within said nozzle where it will receive said arm when it is moved from its disengaged position toward its uppermost position.

2. A combined suction nozzle and brush such as defined in claim 1 in which said belt engaging arm is provided with a convex outer belt engaging face and with an outwardly tapering outer end portion that projects laterally and radially outwardly with respect to the inner portion thereof 6 to guide the belt to said inner portion as the arm is moved to its uppermost position.

3. A shoe and brush unit for vacuum cleaner nozzles comprising an elongated carpet engaging shoe having upright spring arms adjacent its ends, each bendable to permit movements thereof longitudinally of the shoe, a rotatable brush, and means for detachably and adjustably mounting said brush on said arms comprising two attaching plates, one secured to each end of the brush and rotatable with respect to the brush about the axis thereof, and a plurality of projection and socket connections, one of said projection and socket connections being located between each attaching plate and its adjacent arm and releasable by bending the arm, the projections being in the form of pins carried by the attaching plates and the sockets being in the form of openings in the upright arms in which the pins fit, each attaching plate having two pairs of identical pins, with the pins of the two pairs alined on diameters at right angles to one another, the pins of one pair being spaced apart the same distance as the pins of the other pair and each of the four pins being at a different distance from the brush axis, the upright arms being provided with vertically spaced openings in which the pins of either pair fit and with horizontally spaced openings larger than the pins to receive either pair of pins, the pin being selectively engageable with the sockets to support the brush in different positions of vertical adjustment with respect to the shoe.

4. A combined suction nozzle and brush for vacuum cleaners comprising a suction nozzle body having upstanding front, rear and end walls providing an elongated open bottom brush chamber, an elongated rigid carpet engaging shoe shaped to conform to the open bottom of said elongated chamber, said shoe having a narrow continuous marginal portion closely underlying the bottom edges of said walls that is provided with an upstanding continuous marginal fiange slidingly engaging the exterior faces of said walls, said shoe having upright resilient arms attached at their lower ends to the shoe adjacent its ends and flexible longitudinally of the shoe, said arms having longitudinally bowed upper end portions pressing against the inner faces of said end walls to detachably secure the shoe to said body, a rotatable brush detachably connected at its outer ends to said resilient arms below the upper wall engaging portions thereof, and means to adjust the vertical position of the brush with respect to the shoe.

CHARLES H. MACFARLAND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,309,092 Hoover July 8, 1919 1,332,235 Staples Mar. 2, 1920 1,726,592 Spanel Sept. 3, 1929 1,995,630 Bass Mar. 26, 1935 2,092,581 Kitto Sept. 7, 1937 2,192,397 Carlson Mar. 5, 1940 2,233,762 Ash'baugh Mar. 4, 1941 2,312,781 Taylor Mar. 2, 1943 2,538,464 MacFarland Jan. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 620,771 Great Britain Mar. 30, 1949 

